Reclining chair



May 2, 1967 D. E. PACE 3,317,241

RECLINING CHAIR Original Filed Sept. 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheetl David E. Pace INVENTOR.

BYw c M ATTORNEY y 1967 D. E. PACE 3,317,241

RECLINING CHAIR Original Filed Sept. 8,, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 David E. Pace 29 29b INVENTOR- BY FIG. 1/ w Q. M

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,317,241 Patented May 2, 1967 3,317,241 RECLI-NIN G till-IAIR David E. Pace, 208 Morniugside Drive, San Antonio, Tex. 78209 Continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 394,962, Sept. 8, 1964. This application Apr. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 549,117

2 Claims. (Cl. 297-285) The subject application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 394,962, filed Sept. 8, 1964, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a reclining chair and more particularly to such a chair which enables the occupant to assume any desired degree of tilt, including the horizontal position.

A chair having a base with a swivel-tilt control, a frame with a cross bar secured thereto, the back of said chair pivotally connected to said frame and a seat hingedly connected to said back. When the user tilts the chair back to the limit of the tilt action and shifts his weight, bars on the undersurface of the seat ride forward over the cross bar and the seat and back approach a horizontal plane.

At the present time a busy executive is often unable to relax in his oflice, even during periods of relative inactivity, in that no furniture is available in which he can relax and which will conform with the space requirements and decor of his office. It is Well known that if a person is able to completely relax during the working day, even if such period is limited to only a few minutes, his work output will increase substantially.

Also, persons suffering from heart conditions or other aliments are advised that they must relax periodically. These persons would often be able to return to their jobs much sooner if means were provided whereby they could relax, as required.

The present invention relates to an executive chair which has been designed on orthopedic principles to promote working efiiciency and which enables the user to assume any desired degree of tilt, including the horizontal position, for purposes of relaxation,

In normal use such chair provides the ease and comfort of a conventional tilt-swivel action. Additionally, it enables the occupant to easily assume the horizontal position and rapidly return from such position to the upright position.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a reclining chair suitable for use in either home or ofiice which enables the occupant to tilt the chair to any desired angle.

Another object is to provide an executive posture chair enabling the user to assume the correct posture and yet retain the comfort of a swivel-tilt action.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable chair which includes a minimum number of working parts.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a reclining chair which is extremely simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, capable of mass production techniques, and universal in its adaptability.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the disclosure is made in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying sheets of drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG, 2 is a side elevational the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

view, partly in section, of

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the frame of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, side elevational view showing the chair tilted back to the limit of the spring action, prior to assuming the horizontal position,

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, side elevational view showing the seat and back of the reclining chair in a horizontal plane.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, enlarged, front end view, partly in section, taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view showing the seat and back of the embodiment of FIG. 7 is a horizontal plane.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention. The chair 10, in general, consists of seat 11, back 12, frame 13, swivel-tilt control 14 and base 15.

As best seen in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the seat 11 and back 12 are hingedly connected as by means of a hinge 16 or the like; more particularly a hasp 16a of said hinge is secured in a conventional manner to the upper, outermost portions of end 11a of the seat; hasp 16bof said hinge is secured to the corresponding portions on the lower end 12a of the back, respectively, whereby the seat and back are pivotally connected and tilt in synchronization in a manner hereinafter to be described. A rectangular bar 17, including downwardly depending projections 17a-17b, is secured in a conventional manner to the bottom of each of the sides of the seat or the frame thereof in proximity to the front end 11b of the seat. Bar 17 is preferably composed of brass, steel, or the like.

For purposes of convenience only, the construction of one side 13a of the frame will be described; it is to be understood that the opposite side 13b is constructed in like manner. The frame 13 is constructed of tubular stock or the Ilike, and as best seen in FIG. 4, side 13a thereof is essentially rectangular in elevation, consisting of ends 130-1341, and top and bottom members 13e13,f, respectively. The said members may be cut to the required length and the ends of adjoining members welded together. or otherwise secured to form an integral construction.

Referring again to FIG, 4 of the drawings, cross bars 18a-18b are fixedly secured at each end, as by welding, to the corresponding lower front and rear portions of the sides 13d, 13b, respectively, to form an essentially U-shaped frame. A bore 19, the axis of which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of each of the sides is provided in the upper, rearmost portion of each top member. A bolt 20 passes through bore 19; a washer 21 preferably of Teflon or the like is placed thereon and the bolt then passed through the covering material 22,- through a bore in side 12b of the back member, a washer 23- is placed thereon and secured by a nut 24 or the like. The opposite side of the chair is pivotally connected to the frame in like manner.

The bar 17, heretofore mentioned, secured to the underside of the seat, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6', rides on the cross bar 18a. In the upright position, the projection 1711 on the bar bears against the rearm-ost surface of the cross bar 18a (see FIG. 2) and helps to maintain the chair in the upright position; in such position the end 11a of the seat abuts cross bar 18b.

Referring again to FIG. 4 of the drawings, each end of mounting brackets 14a of a conventional swivel-tilt control 14, is secured to the cross bars 18a, 18b as by welding, riveting, or the like. Typical swivel-tilt controls are manufactured by The Song Company of Chicago, 111.; such controls include a spring tension wheel 14b and a downwar'dly depending shaft 140 which includes a handwheel 14d threaded thereon. A central, vertically aligned bore 15a (see FIG. 2) is provided in the base 15 and accommodates shaft 14c; ha-ndwheel 14d permits the chair to be elevated or lowered to any desired height. It is to be understood, of course, that the base 15 may be provided with casters (not shown), secured therein in a conventional manner.

In FIG. 5 of the drawings, the chair is shown tilted backward to the limit of the tilting action provided by the control 14. It is to be noted that prior to assuming the horizontal position the seat and back bear the same relationship as that illustrated in FIG, 2 of the drawings wherein projection 17a abuts cross bar 18a, the rear-most bottom portions of the seat rest on the mounting brackets 14a and the end 11a of the seat abuts cross bar 1811.

The occupant of the chair is then able to assume the horizontal position illustrated in FIG. 6 by shifting his weight slightly whereby projection 17a clears the cross bar 18a and the bar 17 continues to slide forward over the said cross bar 18a. The back 12 of the chair pivots about bolt causing the seat 11 hingedly connected thereto to be thrust upward. The projection 17b on bar 17 rides over the cross bar 18a and bears against the foremost surface thereof (see FIG. 6) thereby securing the seat and back in an essentially horizontal plane.

To regain the upright position the occupant may grasp the end 130 or top member 13e of the frame; by pulling on such portions, the projection 17b clears bar 18a, the bar 17 rides over cross bar 18a until the end 11a of the seat abut-s cross bar 18b.

It is to be understood that the seat and back portions of the chair are not to be restricted to any specific type of construction, internal support therefor, or materials utilized, but may be constructed in accordance with construction practices such as are well known in the art. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the back 12 is constructed in accordance with orthopedic principles and includes a built up portion 122 which suports the lumbar portion of the spine of the occupant.

There is shown in FIGS. 711 of the drawings another embodiment of the invention; the chair consists of a seat 26, a back 27 and an integrally formed, assentially inverted U-shaped frame 28, constructed of either tubular or rod stock. Each of the sides 28a-28b of the frame includes a horizontal, medial portion 28c with a downwardly and slightly forwardly extending front leg 28d and a downwardly and rearwardly extending rear leg 282. Cross bars 29a29b are secured to the corresponding front and rear legs, respectively, as by welding or the like, to form an integral construction.

The seat 26 and back 27 are hingedly connected as by means of hinges 30 secured in a conventional manner to the upper, outermost portions of end 26a of the seat and the corresponding portions of the end 27a of the back. As viewed in FIG. 8, the lower portion of seat 26 bears against cross bar 29a, whereby the chair 25 is maintained in an upright position.

A bore 31 (see FIG. 9) is provided in the uppermost portion of the rear leg 28c; bolt 32 passes through said bore and a washer 33, preferably of Teflon, is placed thereon. The bolt is then passed through a bore provided in the cover material 34 and thence through bore 27b in side 27a of the back member; a washer 35 is placed thereon and secured as by a 36 or the like,

Referring now to FIG. 10 of the drawings, a link 37, preferably of strap steel or the like, includes bores 37a- 37b adjacent each end thereof; a rivet 38 or the like passes through a bore 28 provided in the foremost end of the medial portion 280 of the frame, a washer 39 is placed thereon, and the rivet passed through bore 37a in said link and expanded in a conventional manner. The lower extremity of the link is connected to the outermost side of the seat as by means of a bolt 40 which passes through bore 37b, a Teflon washer 41 is placed thereon and the bolt passed through covering material 42; the bolt then passes through a bore 26b in side 26a of the seat, a washer 43 is placed thereon and secured by a nut 44 or the like.

As shown in FIG. 11 of the drawings, when the occupant shifts his weight, the back 27 pivots about bolt 32; the seat 26 connected thereto is thrust forward and the link 37 pivots about rivet 38 whereby the seat 26 and back 27 assume an essentially horizontal plane.

The seat 26 and back 27, heretofore described, are constructed in accordance with construction practices such as are well known in the art.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only preferred embodiments of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A reclining chair comprising a base, a swivel-tilt control secured to said base, a frame attached to said control, said frame consisting of first and second transversely extending cross bars and spaced parallel sides connected perpendicularly thereto, a back, a seat, said back and seat hingedly connected, said back pivotally connected to sides of the frame, first and second longitudinally extending bars secured to said seat and bearing against said first cross bar whereby the first and second bars slide forward over the said first cross bar and the back and seat assume the same longitudinal plane when the swivel-tilt control is tilted backward to the limit of the tilting action.

2. A reclining chair comprising a base, a swivel-tilt control secured to said base, a frame connected to said control, said frame consisting of first and second spaced and tranversely extending cross bars and upstanding sides connected perpendicularly thereto, a back, a seat, said back and seat hingedly connected, said back pivotally connected to said sides, longitudinally extending bars secured to the undersurface of said seat, said bars sliding over said first cross bar, one end of said seat abuts said second cross bar when the back is in an upright position and the longitudinal axis of said seat and back assume the same plane when the swivel-tilt control is tilted backward and the seat slides forward.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 320,265 6/1885 Maddox 297-321 806,043 11/1905 Acker 297-321 X 1,888,471 11/1932 Robbins 297-321 2,454,912 11/1948 Cunningham 297-320 2,535,138 12/1950 Johnson 297-286 2,845,992 8/1958 Cramer 297-303 3,272,555 9/1966 B-arecki et al 297-369 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Prfmdry Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

G. O. EINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RECLINING CHAIR COMPRISING A BASE, A SWIVEL-TILT CONTROL SECURED TO SAID BASE, A FRAME ATTACHED TO SAID CONTROL, SAID FRAME CONSISTING OF FIRST AND SECOND TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING CROSS BARS AND SPACED PARALLEL SIDES CONNECTED PERPENDICULARLY THERETO, A BACK, A SEAT, SAID BACK AND SEAT HINGEDLY CONNECTED, SAID BACK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SIDES OF THE FRAME, FIRST AND SECOND LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BARS SECURED TO SAID SEAT AND BEARING AGAINST SAID FIRST CROSS BAR WHEREBY THE FIRST AND SECOND BARS SLIDE FOR- 